~3~

Later that evening Ivory's mother came to check on her in her bedroom since she had not left it since breakfast that morning.

" if you don't want this we can go home. Back to the first world, they can't find us there." Said her mother as she sat beside ivory on the floor.

Ivory shut the book that she had been reading and placed it beside her.

" you know they can. There's no point in running, for some reason that Breyer women thinks that I am fit to be Queen."

" Not just you, there are others who are in your same shoes." Her mother reminded her, as she attempted to make Ivory's Inky mess of curls lay flat against her scalp. Then she sighed and dropped her hand.

"What is it?" Ivory asked, as she peered up at her mother, and saw that she was once again wearing that strange expression.

"You'll be leaving headquarters. Once the week is up. Josephine will be coming to take you back to Clarion with her and the others. She's going to train you there--"

"Train me? Why?"

"So you can one day rule over Eirian without her guidance."

"I don't want her guidance! I don't even want to rule."

Nothing compares to Mother's a mother's warm brace in a time of utter hopelessness.

" things will get better once the Queens are found." Said her mother. Ivory nodded but didn't pull away from her, for a little longer she just needed to be a girl, who needed her mother.

That night the mere thought of sleep seemed like too much to ask. She watched a tiny bat cut back and forth through the silver streak of moonlight that had leaked through her thin red and gold drapes for what felt like hours, but not once actually seeing it. No, she was too deep in her head to ever notice such a thing. Once the week was up, her mother and father would allow her to be sent away. She would be called a queen. Yet, she felt anything but.

Over the next three days, the manor seemed far less bright and cheerful than the previous days. Yes, the golden sun still shone brilliantly through the marble halls and felt warm to the touch, but through Ivy's grey eyes, that is what she saw. A gray sky as far as the eye could see. A storm on the horizon. Biding its time. Waiting to strike. And this terrified her. Because there is absolutely nothing more unpredictable than a storm with a nasty taste for havoc.

Ivory spent most of her time ( and what little time that was), outside on the grounds. Walking across the moors with a Dryad's at her side. Today is was a beautiful young girl, with stunning forest green hair and rich brown eyes, the color of earth.

"I must admit miss," said the Dryad, "none of us thought that you'd be coming back."

"Neither did I," said Ivory. Her face had fallen, and she felt a nervous jolt in her gut. "But I'll be leaving yet again tomorrow. Who knows if I am ever to return home?"

The Dryad smiled. "Home is where the heart is able to flourish m'lady. And you will always return. One way or another."

At that moment, Ivory was comforted by this. But only because she was not yet aware of the amount of truth this simple statement held. And she was not aware right then, of what would be the cause of her return to the Evans Estate.

That evening, Ivory ate with her family in the dining room for the last time.

It was quiet, no one knew exactly what to say. But the lack of conversation at their last meal as a family was not what filled ivory with dread, and regret. It was the fact that since her sister had returned; the person who she was closest to in all of Eirian; had not uttered a single word to her since the day she had returned.

This was the thing that had been weighing on her for the past three days. And after the night was over, ivory wasn't sure when she would be able to see her family again.

All of the sudden, Ivorys mother shot to her feet and stormed out of the room. Swiping at a tear as she went.

"I think it's finally starting to feel real to her. Now that it is only hours away." Said her father glumly.

"I suppose it's just begging to feel real to me as well." Said Ivory, her voice no bigger than a whisper.

Her father attempted a comforting smile, but his eyes had deceived him. He was just as filled with sadness as any of them.

Well, except for Olivia. Ivory had noticed that she seemed indifferent to the fact that Ivory would be leaving again. And so soon.

It pained Ivory to see her act like this. But she chose to bite her tongue.

"Ivy, maybe you should head up to bed as well." Sighed her father. "You have a long journey ahead of you."

Ivory nodded, excused herself from the table, and headed back to her bedroom.

Around two in the morning, it had begun to pour again.

She was lighting her small fireplace when a knock sounded at her door. Ivory hesitated for a moment, confused. Her mother and father normally weren't up at this time of night. And the possibility of it being anyone else just hadn't crossed her mind until she slowly made for the door and pulled it open. It was Olivia who was standing on the other side of the threshold.

Her hair was dripping wet as if she has just come from outside. And she was holding something wrapped in a white cloth.

"May I come in?" She asked.

Ivory stood frozen in shock for a brief second before coming to her senses again and stepping to one side to let her sister enter the bedroom.

"I wanted to wait until tomorrow morning to give this to you..." she said as she held the cloth-wrapped thing out in front of her.

Ivory took it with slightly trembling hands and pulled back a corner of the soft material.

Inside the cloth was the most beautiful snow globe Ivory had ever seen.

"I knew you liked to collect them when we were younger--"

Ivory had flung her arms around her sister, and Olivia's words were cut short by the sudden startle.

The two of them stayed like this for a long while, before Olivia pulled away.

"Pack it away safely," she said.

Ivory nodded, then watched as her sister shut the dark Maple wood door behind her.

Ivory rewrapped her gift and set it gently upon the mantle. She tried to refrain from touching it just yet, not wanting to risk ruining it so soon. Then she climbed back into bed. And she was able to sleep much easier than the night before.